HOME STAR, also known as 'Cash for Caulkers', is a proposed nationwide incentive program for home performance retrofit and weatherization projects, intended to encourage homeowners to invest in improving the energy efficiency of their homes, while also creating sustainable jobs in local communities.
BPI Certified Professionals will play a major role in this $6 billion program. Why? Because the BPI Building Analyst Certified Professional designation is one of two accepted credentials announced so far that allow you to conduct test-in/test-out and quality assurance inspections under this program. And only BPI GOLD STAR Accredited Contracting Companies – or another accreditation approved by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy - will be allowed to implement energy efficiency improvement measures under the program. That’s to protect the investment of homeowner and taxpayer dollars.
Here's how it will work...
HOME STAR incentives will be split into two levels—GOLD STAR and SILVER STAR.
Under GOLD STAR, homeowners will receive $3,000 for modeled savings of 20%, plus an additional $1,000 incentive for each additional 5% of modeled energy savings, with incentives not to exceed 50% of project costs.
GOLD STAR is a two-year program that offers the highest homeowner incentive amounts because it requires the whole-home, performance-based approach that delivers deep energy efficiency retrofit results.
On a GOLD STAR project, a BPI Building Analyst Certified Professional or a Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) qualified rater (or an approved equivalent) conducts an energy audit and comprehensive home performance assessment before work begins, then develops and prioritizes improvement measures specific to the needs of the particular house. Those measures are then implemented by a BPI GOLD STAR Accredited Contracting Company.
When the work is complete, the certified analyst or rater returns to the house to conduct a test-out energy audit. This test-out assessment ensures that the installed measures are working properly and determines the modeled energy savings achieved. It also provides risk reduction for homeowners and taxpayer dollars by creating a formalized quality assurance program that is hard-coded into the GOLD STAR incentive level.
To qualify for funding under the GOLD STAR level:
- Energy audit and home assessment test-in/test-out procedures may ONLY be performed by a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst Certified Professional or a Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) qualified rater (or an approved equivalent).
- Energy efficiency improvement measures may ONLY be installed by a BPI GOLD STAR Accredited Contracting Company (or another accreditation approved by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy).
- All Quality Assurance inspections may ONLY be conducted by a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Building Analyst Certified Professional or a Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) qualified rater (or an approved equivalent).
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The SILVER STAR level is a one-year program designed to jump-start job creation. It provides a near-term incentive for specific energy saving investments and is simple to administer and easily introduced into the existing marketplace.
Homeowners will receive between $1,000 and $1,500 for each qualified measure installed in the home, or $250 per appliance, with a benefit not exceeding $3,000 or at most 50% of total project costs.
Qualified, covered measures include:
- air sealing
- attic, wall and crawl space insulation
- duct sealing or replacement
- replacement of existing windows and doors, furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters and appliances with high-efficiency models
Although there are no official credential requirements beyond having appropriate licenses and insurance for contractors under the SILVER STAR level, BPI GOLD STAR Accredited Contracting Companies and Certified Professionals will be in demand to install the qualified measures.
